Tufts Medical Center has long served as our principal teaching hospital, and we are proud of that relationship. Today, Tufts Medical Center shared some important news that we want to share with you.

As part of its plan for continued growth, Tufts Medical Center is exploring a partnership with Boston Medical Center, another hospital system that shares a deep commitment to the highest standards in medicine, community access and lower cost health care. If such a partnership is formed, it would represent a unique opportunity to enhance health care in Massachusetts.

We want to emphasize that the partnership discussions are solely about affiliating the two hospitals, not our medical school and Boston University School of Medicine. Both medical schools would continue to be separate and independent.

We expect any partnership between Tufts Medical Center and Boston Medical Center to maintain Tufts Medical Center’s role as the principal teaching hospital for our students. Tufts University School of Medicine will also continue to be affiliated with an outstanding array of other institutions that provide clinical settings that are integral to the excellence of our medical students’ education.
The following message from Michael Wagner to the Tufts Medical Center community provides additional background on current discussions. No final decisions have been made by the two medical centers. We will share further information as it becomes available.

Regardless of the outcome of these discussions, Tufts University School of Medicine will remain an integral part of Tufts University, a vital contributor to the university’s educational, research and civic mission and one of the finest medical schools in the world.

Sincerely,

Tony Monaco
President, Tufts University

Harris Berman
Dean, Tufts University School of Medicine
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Message from President and CEO Michael Wagner to the Tufts Medical Center Community

Dear Medical Center Community,

For some time now, we have been discussing the growth of our network and the opportunities that are ahead for Tufts MC and Floating Hospital for Children. We have an outstanding foundation with our strong adult and pediatric hospitals, our 1,800-physician NEQCA network and our community hospital affiliates. We know that for the future we need to grow even more, and our recent creation of Wellforce with Lowell General is a significant and important part of our growth plan. In addition, I would like to share with you today that we are having conversations with Boston Medical Center about a partnership.

Like us, BMC is an outstanding academic medical center backed by an exceptional medical school and university. We are located about a mile apart in one of the most vibrant and growing areas of the city. Our organizations share a commitment to high quality, lower cost health care and to serving every patient with the greatest respect and compassion. Bringing our strengths together could be very powerful and meaningful to this city, region and the country.

I understand that talks of partnership and collaboration can be exciting but also unsettling, and I prefer to come to you when our plans with a new potential partner are more definitive. However, in this situation, The Boston Globe has learned of our discussions with BMC and plans to write an article very soon. I wanted you to hear about these discussions directly from me first.

I look forward to continuing our conversations with BMC to see how together we might change the future of health care. I will provide you updates on these discussions, and you will be the first to know should we reach an agreement with BMC.

I am extremely grateful for all you do to make Tufts Medical Center and Floating Hospital for Children strong. We are making a significant impact on this market and we are making health care better. That is not an easy task in these challenging times, but I have every confidence that you are the team that can make that happen. Please talk to your manager or vice president with any questions.